2026
May: The welfare state is not an unqualified success.
April. How do we measure happiness?
March. Is there any point in individual efforts to reduce our carbon footprint?
February. What is the purpose of international borders and are they fundamentally unjust?
January. Friends in later life.
2025
December. Should poetry be dropped from the GCSE curriculum?
November. To what extent should parents be responsible for their children's actions and behaviours?
October. How should we react to the reported increase in serious violence since the end of lockdown?
September. What is meant, politically by "The Left", "The Centre" and "The Right"?
August. Dress codes.
July. Are you justified in sacrificing me on the altar of your principles?
June. Should people be more responsible for their own health?
May. What is prison for?
April. The pros and cons of curiosity
March. The future of handwriting
February. Should conscription be brought back?
January. How can questions improve conversations?
2024 and earlier
December. Honesty. When, if ever, is it acceptable to lie?
November. To echo Karl Marx, in what ways can the giving of charity be seen as the opiate of the middle classes?
October. Emotional intelligence
September. Judging the past using the values of the present
August. Organ donation. Pros and cons of opting in or out
Second homes and housing
Assisted dying
Should 16-year-olds have the vote?
Gender imbalance
Multiculturalism
Is hope a force for good in the world?
Free speech
What is wisdom and how do we become wiser?
Trading justice for reconciliation
Should face coverings be banned?
Friendship as I grow older
Diversity
The surveillance society
The population explosion
Are English values, culture and traditions important anymore?
Trust
Should the personal inheritance of wealth be abolished?
Is Universal Basic Income a good idea?
The Nanny State
COP27
Grandparents' rights
Media literacy
What's the point of political parties
The elephant in the room - Covid-19
Manners in the 21st century
How do we justify a knighthood?
The future of the UK monarchy
The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill
Totalitarianism - are we there yet?
How to handle the burgeoning national and international refugee crisis
Is a sense of nationality and patriotism still relevant or are we all individuals now?
Male violence against Women, what is the answer?
Regulatory capture: what is it and why does it matter?
What makes your blood boil?
The future of the English language and grammar
Towards a sustainable Earth population
How important are the arts?
What is the economy for?
Future-proofing Britain
In what ways are women invisible?
What makes jokes funny to some and offensive to others?
Are the BBC's days numbered?
Where does money come from?
Where does wisdom come from?
Is the transgender issue becoming a fashion?
Are charities out of control?
Should historical artefacts be returned to their country of origin
Does society need a real crisis to get itself back together?
Jealousy
Do we still live in a civilised society?
Christmas spirit.
What would we be willing to give up to save the planet?
Vaccinations. What's the controversy about?
Should animals have rights?
What should be done about rough sleeping?
Why do we believe what we believe?
Benefits of mindfulness.
Is modern technology ruining childhood?
Is it sensible always to be sensible?
Creativity.
What limits, if any, should be applied to pet ownership in towns?
Our worlds.
Body language.
Washing.
Attire, law and society.
Will robots and AI rule the world?
Understanding sexual violence against women.
Why do people have cosmetic surgery?
Is there life after death?
Communing with nature
Have men lost their identity in society?
What's the point of holidays?
Is World War III on the horizon?
Should women be imprisoned for minor offences?
Science and society
Customs, traditions and practices
Should shops close on a Sunday?
Can the human race avoid its own extinction?
Why do some things irritate some people so much and others not at all?
Show and tell followed by lunch
Our throwaway society
Why do we eat?
The economic value of a human life
Has the blame culture gone too far?
Ageism
Do grandparents have rights pertaining to grandchildren?
Should drivers have to take a test every 5 years once they reach 70?
Are we all capable of killing?
Who should have the power to create money?
Why do UK residents expect to buy and own their own home when the majority of other countries seem quite happy to rent?
Is it right than older people have free bus travel and TV licences whilst others face rigorous cuts to their benefits?
Refugees - Europe in Crisis
Charity
Does power corrupt?
Can war ever be justified?
Slavery was wrong but their descendants have a better life than those still in Africa.
Human sexuality as language
Music - Does music have a physical/emotional effect on us and if so why? Is musical ability a gift or an essential part of our brain?
Beauty
Religion has always been the corner stone for morality. In the secular world where will the unbeliever find its corner stone?
Are we too dependent on the NHS?
Would you object to ID cards?
Gender - is it purely a social construct? Is gender identity inescapable?
Are we too dependent on the National Health Service?
Being politically correct
Would you go to jail on a matter of principle?
Should the law allow assisted suicide/dying?
Philanthropy
Why is more fuss made when several people die at the same time than the many more who die separately every day?
Would you prefer to live in a monoculture our a multi racial society?
Do we have free will?
Intuition
Alcohol is legal, so why not legalise all other recreational drugs?
Is technology addiction a problem amongst the young?
Is reading fiction a waste of time?
Is DIRECT ACTION a threat to democracy?
Do you trust your memory?
Would you prefer to live in a mono-culture or a multi-racial society?
Conflict tourism: is this a new phenomenon? Does it bring any benefits?
Are we being blinded by vision?
Is technology addiction a problem amongst the young?
Alcohol is legal, so why not legalise all other recreational drugs?
What is art?
Has feminism done women any favours?
Should the burka be banned?
Are we wilful in our blindness?
What influences do Europe and America have on British culture today?
Is language essential for thought?
What might our role be in changing attitudes towards older people?
Do religious structures get in the way of faith?
Is evil innate or learned?
What factors would influence the outcome of a UK referendum on EU membership?
Is the word love misused?
Has technology made religion obsolete?
U3A discussion paper
Does synchronicity confound the idea that coincidence is simply a random happening?
Emigration
Mixed marriage
Overseas aid & development